Dividers or calipers



(No Model.)

J. D. WILKINSON.

DI'VIDBRS 0R GALIPERS. No. 364,561 Patented June 7, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOB WILKINSON, OF BATTLE GREEK, MICHIGAN.

DIVIDERS OR CALIPERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 364,561, dated June 7, 1887.

Application filed February 24, 1887. Serial No. 228,724. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, .1013 D. WILKINSON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Battle Greek, county of Calhoun, State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Dividers or Calipers, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention consists in certain improvements, below described and claimed, with a design toadd to the utility and facilitate the operation of dividers or calipers.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is anelevation, parts being broken away; Fig. 2, lettered details from Fig. 1, below described, and Fig. 3 is a plan of part A in Fig. 1.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, B B are the ordinary legs of a divider. The curved rack-lever D, with teeth or cogs G, is pivoted at one end in a slot of one of the legs at b, and from thence passes through a slot in the other leg. The latter-named slot 8 is vertically longer than the width of the racklever D, so that the latter can be swung up on its pivot when opening and closing the divider or caliper. The rack D has a shoulder at n, and A is aspring having a free end pressing against said shoulder to hold the rack-lever D down so as to engage the worm O to lock the legs B at desired adjustments. Thus the racklever when swung up of disengage the worm O raises against a spring resistance. The free end of the rack-lever has a depressed portion to contact the finger with when raising the rack-lever.

The free end of spring A has an open slot, e, thus making it forked to straddle the racklever D back of the shoulder It, thus assisting to keep the spring in place and to hold the rack-lever from lateral canting.

legs, being just the same in both cases.

Referring to Fig. 1, the divider-legs are separated, we will say, to nearly the desired adjustment. This was quickly effected by raising the rack-lever D, opening the legs at a random guess as to the desired distance, and releasing the rack-lever, which lever the spring Ahas forced down so that its teeth engage the worm, as before explained.

We will nowrsuppose a tine or accurate adjustment is desired. The legs are a little too far apart, or too near together, as the case may be. By grasping the end a of the worm O with the thumb and finger and turning the worm the legs may be easily and accurately adjusted, even to a hairs breadth, if desired, at the same time the locking-engagement of the raclc lever teeth 0 with the Worm is preserved during said adjustment.

As above indicated, theinvention is equally applicable to calipers or dividers, the construction, aside from the lower portion of the No caliper proper is here shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination of the slotted legs of calipers or dividers, the racklever having the shoulder and pivoted in the slot of one leg, a spring attached to said leg and forming a press ure-contact with said shoulder, and the adj usting-worm pivoted to the other leg, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the slotted legs, the pivoted rack-lever having the shoulder, the forked spring contacting said shoulder,and the adj usting-worm, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name in presence of two witnesses.

JOB D. WILKINSON.

Witnesses:

Gno. D. B. HALL, LoUIs D. BARKER. 

